Together again
by please baby please
Summary: HGRW. follows HG after leaving school. also a bit of HPGW and slso DM. a bit of a cliche at the end sorry! I'm bad at writing summaries, so just read it. R&R please xx
1. first thoughts

Hermione stood in front the floor length mirror staring glumly at herself. Her big brown

eyes stared out at her from beneath her luminous white skin. She needed a holiday. She hadn't been away for 7 years, the last time being when Harry, Ron, Ginny and herself had left Hogwarts to find and destroy Voldemort's horcruxes, and eventually defeat you-know-who once and for all. And since starting work for the ministry 6 years ago, she'd been working 5 and a half days a week, with only 3 weeks holiday per year, which she invariably spent doing more "extra" work. She picked up the brush lying on the bedside table and ran it through her messy brown hair for the fourth time in the last two minutes. She examined the dark boot-cut jeans and pale blue vest top. It definitely wasn't perfect, but it would have to do. They were only going to stay at home anyway. She was still staring in the mirror, pinching her cheeks, pulling at her clothes, frowning at herself when the intercom buzzed. She jumped. She ran over to the phone and pressed the button.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mya, its us," Harry's voice crackled over the intercom

"Oh, hi," Hermione tried not to let her disappointment show. "Is Ron with you?"

"Uh…no. Why would he be?" Harry asked, sounding very confused.

"No, of course not. Silly me."

There was a pause as Hermione stood in the hallway almost in a dream.

"So, are you gonna let us up? I don't know about up there but it is winter here, so…"

Hermione jerked.

"Oh, _sorry_! I'll let you up." She pushed the button, and replaced the phone. She walked through the hallway, to the door, stopping to look at herself in a mirror on the way. She frowned. She opened the door to see Harry walking up the stairs to her apartment, leading Ginny by the hand. Hermione smiled, feeling genuinely happy. Harry looked up at Hermione, ran up the last few steps and embraced Hermione in a fierce hug.

"How're you doing?" he asked into the mess of brown hair around her neck. They pulled apart. Hermione shrugged.

"Yeah. Good, you know," she replied, somewhat unconvincingly. She looked over Harry's shoulder to see Ginny smiling at her from under her red hair and green woolly hat. They both held out their arms, and tried to hug each other, but the ever-growing bump of Ginny's tummy was a slight hindrance.

"Come in, come in. Sit down," Hermione said, making her way into the sitting room, "Oh, sorry," she said, whilst drawing out her wand. With a quick flourish of her wand, Harry and Ginny's coats, hats, scarves and gloves were flying elegantly towards the series of pegs on the wall. Harry and Ginny looked at Hermione, then at each other and laughed. Hermione felt her cheeks going pink.

"What?" she asked, embarrassed, even now, by her almost-perfect non-verbal incantations.


	2. babysitters and intercoms

"Can I get you something to drink?" Hermione asked from the kitchen, "Wine, coffee, tea, coke, juice?"

"I'll have some wine, if that's ok Mya," said Harry.

"Sure. Ginny?" she said, whilst busying herself getting out the wine and glasses.

"No wine for me," Ginny said, patting her stomach, "Pumpkin juice would be great."

Hermione prepared the tray and brought it through the open plan kitchen to the living room where Ginny and Harry were sitting. Mya smiled to herself when she saw Harry and Ginny sitting on the sofa, surrounded by cushions, holding hands.

After defeating Voldemort, Hermione and Ron had started work for the ministry and Harry and Ginny had both become Auras. Soon afterwards, they were married, and already expecting baby number 1.

"Where's Lilly? And James?" asked Hermione setting down the tray.

Ginny started to laugh, "You'll never guess: we got a babysitter!"

"Oh my god! Really?"

"Yeah," Harry chipped in, "One of our muggle neighbours thought it was really weird how we would just leave them at home…with a safety spell obviously."

"Yeah, so we asked her daughter to babysit. I've got no idea how much to pay her, though."

Hermione was about to start giving her suggestion when the intercom buzz. Within seconds, she was up, and racing towards the phone.

"Slow down, Hermione!" Harry laughed.

She pressed the button.

"Hello?" she asked excitedly.

"Hello? Mya? Can. You. Hear. Me?" Ron shouted. Harry, Hermione and Ginny laughed.

"Ron, you're yelling so loud, I could hear you from downstairs, even without the intercom."

"Hermione? Are you there? Can you let me up?" Ron's voice boomed around the apartment.

Smiling, Hermione pushed the button to open the door. Within seconds, they could all her Ron, thundering up the stairs.


	3. awkward discussions

She opened the door to see _him_ leaning against the door frame, red in the face.

"Jeez, Mya! You really need to move into a ground floor flat, or get a lift or _something_," panted Ron.

Hermione giggled. She reached for her wand, but remembered Harry and Ginny's laughs, and couldn't bear to think what Ron would say. Instead, she took Ron's jacket from him as he removed his hat and ruffled his hair.

They looked at each other, smiled and engaged in a quick hug.

"Come on in," said Hermione, "Can I get you something to drink? Wine, coffee, juice?"

"Coffee, please. It's bloody freezing out there. It's snowing you know," said Ron, rubbing his hands together. Harry and Ginny both stood up when they saw Hermione come into the room, followed by Ron. Harry and Ron hugged briefly and gave Ginny a quick kiss on the cheek. Hermione soon returned from the kitchen carrying Ron's coffee. She handed it to him, then momentarily disappeared into a small side room, returning bearing two beautifully wrapped gifts: one pink, one blue. Upon seeing them, Ron choked on his coffee.

"Oh, Harry, Ginny. I'm so…" Ron started, but was soon cut off by Hermione.

"What Ron's trying to say, is that these are for James and Lilly. From both of us."

They exchanged a look.

Harry and Ginny took the gifts and thanked them.

"Uh, Mya. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Yeah, sure."

They stood in the kitchen as Ginny and Harry chatted.

"Thank you so much. I've just had so much to do," Ron said, running his large, strong hands through his floppy hair.

Hermione tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "It's fine. No problem. Honestly,"

They could both feel themselves reddening with embarrassment and feeling: Hermione's cheeks, Ron's ears.

"It's just that the ministry's been so busy recently, things aren't perfect with Katie."

Even the name made Hermione feel a sudden jealousy. Ron and Katie Bell had started going out 2 years ago. After going out with both of the twins for a bit, she ended up with to the youngest Weasley boy.

"Oh? What's wrong?" Hermione enquired, trying to disguise her feelings and sound concerned.

"Oh, I dunno. It's just that, I feel kind of trapped, you know?"

"I know," she said. She completely understood where he was coming from. She had never really liked Katie. Yes, a big part of it was because Ron was "hers", but, she was just a bit too perfect for Hermione's liking. And she'd always taken Ron away from them a bit. Especially at the beginning. He always seemed to be out with her, never at the usual fort-nightly gatherings.

"I'm thinking of breaking up with her,"

"What, seriously?" Hermione asked, genuinely interested. Ron and Katie had had hundreds of fallings out, but never a proper _break-up_.

Ron rubbed the back of his head. "I don't feel like I love her anymore. And she's such a pain about work, you know, 'cause she gets really irritated if I'm late and stuff. And when I'm with her I never see that much of you guys. And I've started to have these feelings…"

_For you_ he thought.

"…that I…want to…you know, just try being alone for a bit."

Hermione didn't know what to feel: happiness that Ron was breaking up with her? Or disappointment that he hadn't thought about her?

Luckily, they were both saved from that awkward moment of being lost in thought with each other by a crash. Their eyes met, and they simultaneously ran through to the living room.

"Ginny?" Hermione called anxiously.

"I'm sorry, Mya," she replied, slowly bending down to pick up one of the packages, "I was trying to see what it was." Colour rushed to her cheeks as she stood, embarrassed.

They all laughed, glad to be all together.

"Dinner's ready," Hermione said, waving her wand gently behind her back, bringing plates of piping hot food to the table instantly.

They followed her into the dining room, and all began to enjoy a perfect meal, expertly prepared.


	4. today is the dayis the eveningis now

Harry and Ron stood in Hermione's kitchen, both with their 4th glass of wine in hand, having enjoyed a delicious meal. Ron gazed absent-mindedly through the open door, to where Hermione and Ginny sat, chatting.

"Hello?" Harry murmured, "Uh, Ron? Earth to Ron. Can you hear me?"

Ron shifted his gaze to Harry. "Sorry, what?"

Harry chuckled. "I hope that that longing look in your eyes is for Mya, and not for my wife and your sister."

"What? Eurgh, no! And I haven't got a "longing look" in my eyes!" he said, gesturing quotation marks in the air.

Harry looked at him, mock sternly. "Ron, I've known you for 13 years, and _that_," he said, drooping his eyelids and letting his jaw drop, in imitation of Ron, "is a longing look. I mean, for God's sake, why don't you just tell her how you feel."

"How could I tell her…anyway, there's nothing to tell,"

"_Ron_…" Harry said, exasperated.

"Alright, I do like her. But how do you tell a girl you've known for 13 years that you love her?"

"You love her?"

"Oh, please tell me I didn't just say that!" Ron cried, looking up to the ceiling.

"You love Mya? Since when?"

"Year 4. That stupid Yule ball, where we went with the Patels and she went with _Viktor,_" Ron muttered, defeated.

"Ron, you've got to tell her,"

"Yeah, yeah, alright. Fine. OK. I'll tell her after you and Ginny have gone home. I'm staying the night here, and tomorrow we're gonna do some work for the ministry,"

"And maybe a little bit of other work, if you know what I mean," said Harry, winking and elbowing Ron in the ribs.

"Shut up," Ron laughed, and then grimaced. "Right. Today's the day. Or tonight's the night. Or this evening's this…oh whatever,"


	5. Closer

"Bye!" Ron and Hermione called from the top of the stairs, "See you next week!"

They all waved goodbye, then Hermione shut the door, and began to march inside. She immediately started fiercely scrubbing some dirty plates with soapy water, which they both knew she could have done with a single flick of her wand. In spite of herself, she felt salty tears rolling down her cheeks, having completely forgotten Ron, standing in the doorway behind her.

"Mya?" he asked, stepping gingerly into the kitchen. She immediately straightened her back.

"Hermione, what's wrong?"

She turned to face him, and seeing him standing there right in front of her, brought back the tears she'd just managed to sniff back up. She put her head in her hands and leaned against Ron's chest. When she felt his muscular arms wrap around her small frame, her sobs deepened.

"Hermione, what is it?" Ron sounded truly sad.

Hermione pushed herself away from him, but he put his hands firmly on her shoulders.

"Do you really want to know?" she said, trying to sort herself out.

"Of course."

"Fine. Look, Ron. I know I'm not perfect at all. But neither are you. I know that I'm too bossy, too much of a know-it-all, I read to many books, I'm not as good at Quidditch as Katie is, I'm too organised, I nag you too much and all the rest. I know all that, Ron. But I also know that I'm a good person, and I try so hard to make you see that. But you know what, I doesn't matter how much I love you, because you will always think of me as your know-it-all, show-off, bossy friend."

She stared up into his lagoon green eyes, amazed herself at what she'd just said. The next few agonizing moments felt to her like hours. She felt the weight of his hands leave her shoulders, and her heart sank.

Until she felt his hands rest on her hips pulling her towards him.

_God, he was so close_.

She could feel the heat from his body, radiating to hers.

_He was so close_.

She could feel light touch of his hands on her hips.

_So close_.

She could feel the short bristles of his cheek on her soft skin.

_Closer_.

His mouth was so close to hers, she could feel his breath on her lips.

She felt herself tingling all over.

He whispered to her, "Hermione. I have always loved you."

Their parted lips pressed together, as their first kiss became their second, third, fourth, fifth, and their embraces grew stronger and closer and they lost themselves in their own world. Inside, Hermione was desperately happy, but she knew that after that night, she would want, and need more and more…


	6. happy at last

When Hermione woke up the next morning (or afternoon, seeing as it was 2'o'clock) she felt the same pang of loneliness as always. But when she rolled onto her side, and she saw Ron sprawled out beside her, that feeling washed out of her instantly. She smiled to herself. She propped herself up on her elbow, and began to trace her way, with her fingers from his navel, to his chest, to his neck, to his chin, to his nose, all the way up to his shock of red hair. She loved seeing the way her touch on his bare skin brought out goose-bumps, all over the pale skin. Grinning, she lay back down and spread her arm across his stomach.


	7. last night this morning and Lwords

The second time she woke up, that feeling of loneliness did not disappear as quickly as before. She rolled around in bed, but he was gone. She felt herself about to cry, and looked desperately around the room, but, although he was not there, his clothes and bags still were. She sighed with intense relief, and got up out of bed. It was only when she stood against the cold floor, and felt the chill in the air that she realized that her clothes from the night before were also lying on the floor. She bent down to pick up a t-shirt lying on the floor, but Ron's pale blue shirt, caught her eye. She picked it up, held it against her bare breast an inhaled his scent. She put it on, and wrapped herself in the folds of spare material. She wandered downstairs, doing up the buttons, still trying to take the inane grin off of her face. She walked into the kitchen and dropped into a stool by the breakfast bar. Ron was pottering around the kitchen, returning things to shelves, taking out cups, filling the kettle, getting the coffee out.

He looked up and smiled at her, "Morning."

They were acting completely normally, as if last night hadn't even happened, but all she could think was, _They perfect look in his eyes, just before we kissed_…

"Morning,"

"Did you sleep okay?"

_The feel of his lips as they locked with mine_…

"Yeah, fine,"

"Do you want some coffee?"

_The light touch of his fingers on my back, thighs, stomach, breasts_…

"Oh, yes please,"

He began to pour boiling water into the cups, "Milk? Sugar?"

_His soft kisses all over my body_…

"Milk, no sugar,"

"I was going to make cinnamon pancakes, but then I remembered your allergic, so..."

_His beautiful face when he cried out_…

They looked at each other and both began to smile and blush.

"I'm just gonna go upstairs and change," he said, tugging at one of the sleeves of the pink, fluffy, tight-fitting dressing gown he was wearing.

She giggled, "Yeah, sure."

She was about to get up from her stool, when Ron took her arm and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

She could hear his footsteps on the stairs above her. She wandered up, and stood in the doorway of the bedroom, watching him start to remove the robe. When he saw her standing there, he instinctively pulled the robe around t cover himself. He walked over to her, doing up the dressing gown as he went. She smiled cheekily at him. He put his hand on her hips and lifted her onto her tiptoes as he kissed her sweetly. She stepped back and began to slide off his dressing gown. One by one he undid the buttons of the shirt she was wearing.

"Nice shirt, Mya."

She wrapped her arms around him and he bent down to kiss her neck. She tilted her head back and felt herself fill with pleasure. They eased themselves onto the bed, and once again were together in the way that to them, was so new, yet so familiar.

"Mya, I have to go. Really. I've got three reports and an investigation. And we were meant to write up that thing for old man Fudge," Ron said, pulling on his jeans.

"Oh, yeah. I'd forgotten about that," she said, sitting up in bed pulling the sheet up to cover herself. "Oh, please stay, Ron. I don't know what I'll do without you."

"Hermione, for 13 years you've been desperate to me to go and get on with some work. I'm sure you'll manage."

"No, its just that…well…it's different now. This morning when I woke up and I thought you were gone, I wanted to die. I don't care what happens now, as long as I'm with you. I need you, Ron."

They stared at each other looking for meaning in each other's eyes. He slumped onto the bed beside her. She leant against his shoulder and put her hands in his lap.

"What time is it?" when she spoke, he could feel her breath on his chest.

"Er…3'o'clock."

"What day?"

"Sunday."

"You know, this is the first weekend since starting for the ministry that I haven't done any work."

He took her by the shoulders and looked at her.

"Are you kidding?"

She shook her head.

"Well, I'd better stay then, and help distract you from doing any."

She threw her arms around him.

"I love you," she whispered into the back of his neck.

"I love you," he said into her hair, "You know, people usually wait until they've been on a few dates before saying the L-word."

"I think being friends since first year counts for more than a few dates."

Had the little black owl which was flying past the window chosen to look in at that moment, he would have seen two naked people, so in love with each other, that their white skin seemed to glow, in the sunlight flooding the room.


	8. telling all

"Are you sure we should do this?"

Hermione stood wrapped in her duffel coat, holding both of Ron's hands in hers.

"I mean, what are they going to say when we tell them? And how are we going to tell them? 'Oh hi guys. This is my new boyfriend. You already know him. It's Ron. By the way, you know the other day, after you left, we slept together.'"

"Stop worrying," he said gently, bending down so their noses touched. "They'll be pleased. And if not, who cares?"

"_I_ do," she said quietly.

He gave her a long soulful kiss on the lips.

"Actually, I don't care."

She let go of one of his hands and pushed the bell. Ginny opened the door, Harry standing closely behind her. They were both about to step forward for exchanges of hugs and kisses, when their gazes fell upon Hermione and Ron's clasped hands.

No one knew how long they stood there in the freezing cold of December, snowflakes covering all of their hair and clothes.

"Oh my God," Ginny whispered.

Harry closed his dropped jaw.

"So you guys are…?"

They nodded

"And you've already…?"

They nodded

"Wow."

Again, another long pause.

Ron rubbed his hands together uneasily. "So, are we gonna spend the evening out here? I mean, I like he whole _al fresco_ thing, but I think we'll need some heaters or something…"

They all laughed and Ginny led the way inside.


	9. uncle ron and godma mya ewwwww

They sat on the sofa, wine glasses (or mug in Ginny's case) in hand, when little Lilly ran in. Hermione stretched out her arms to her.

"Lilly!" she cried, as he raced to sit on her lap, "How's my favourite god-daughter?"

"Fantastic!" he squealed.

"Lilly, remember what Mummy said?" Ginny asked quietly.

"Oh yes! Thank you very very very very much, Uncle Ron and godma Mya for my first ever owl. You know, he's brown and brown is my favourite colour because that's the colour of my wand and chocolate."

"I'm just glad you liked it. Now you can write to me," said 'godma Mya'

Ron edged slightly closer to Hermione, put his arm around her and kissed her on the cheek, out of gratitude.

Lilly observed this, looking slightly puzzled.

"That's what Daddy and Mummy do. They put their arms behind each other when the sit down and kiss_ all the time_."

Ron and Hermione blushed.

Lilly, stood up on Hermione's lap and bent towards her ear.

"Is Uncle Ron your boyfriend?"

Hermione whispered into Lily's ear, "Do you promise not to tell anyone?"

Lilly nodded vigorously.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Do you love him?"

"Yes."

"Do you kiss him?"

"Yes."

"Ewww!" she shrieked.

They all giggled, having heard the whole conversation thanks to Lilly's not-so-subtle-whispering.

Lilly hopped down from Hermione's lap and bid everyone a quick goodnight.

"So you guys have kissed, huh? Big news!" Harry said, when Lilly had left.

"You know, I have been waiting for you guys to get together for _so_ long," Ginny said, "You don't know how annoying it was seeing you two being so perfect for each other, but still fighting all the time. I remember that time when we all went out together with Katie and Neville, when you guys were going out. That whole meal was so…odd. Not awkward, just strange. It just felt so…unnatural. It just didn't work. It was always better when it was just the four of us. Oh my god! You know what this means?"

"That you'll stop going on at me to find a 'real' girlfriend?" Ron suggested.

Ignoring him, Ginny continued, "Now we and double date. I mean properly. Not just like us and then you two going out. But you know, like _real _couples, who talk about 'couple' things."

"Since when have _you _wanted to talk about 'couple' things?" Harry looked at her, utterly surprised.

"You know when we had dinner with Laura and Robbie?"

"Yeah," Harry stretched out the word, "who we both hated…"

"Well, she kept going on about how perfect her life was, and how perfect it was to talk about her perfect life with other perfect couples and it just all sounded so…"

"Perfect?"

As Harry and Ginny engaged in a ridiculous conversation about a couple they both hated, yet wanted to be like, Ron and Hermione just sat there, holding each other tightly, feeling entirely content, and desperately hoping they wouldn't have to let go.


	10. Clear blue

"Hey, Mya. D'you want some bacon?" Ron called from his own untidy kitchen. For four weeks, since that first night together, they had been living alternately in their apartments, swapping every so often, having given each other spare keys. Since that first night, Hermione had had a few more workless weekends, all spent with Ron. As soon as Hermione entered the kitchen, and the smell of the cooking meat reached her nose, she felt her stomach churn.

She clasped her hand to her mouth, "Oh God," she said, whilst running upstairs to the toilet.

"Mya? What's up?" he called up the stairs, "My bacon's not _that_ bad."

Hermione pulled her hair behind her back, and retched over the rim of the toilet. She felt an unusual pain as her breasts pushed against the edge of the loo. She stood up, flushed the loo and turned to look at herself in the mirror. Even by her standards, she was looking incredibly pale. When she opened the door of the bathroom to see Ron sitting on the bed, she gasped in surprise.

"You alright?"

She nodded, and went to sit beside him. He turned to face her.

"Er, look, Mya. Sorry about the personal question, but what time of the month are you at?"

_What?_ She thought, but suddenly realised his meaning.

"Overdue," she said, looking into her lap.

He inhaled deeply. "How long?"

"Three weeks."

"Shit," he whispered. They sat in silence, until Ron took Hermione's chin in his hand, and gently tilted her head to face him. Her eyes still looked to her lap.

"Hermione…" he asked gently.

She turned her brown almond-shaped eyes to stare into his green ones.

"Mya, you have to do a test on yourself. I'll do it I you want. But we have to know I you're…if you're pregnant."

"I'll do," she said, standing up and removing her wand from her back pocket.

She did the incantation quickly enough, knowing it easily, having done it to Ginny at every one of her pregnancies. She gripped the wand tightly in her hand.

"We'll have to wait for a minute or to. Blue means I am. Red means not."

It was bizarre to her that, although the magical world could do so much, it still took 'a minute or two' to do a pregnancy test. They remained in silence, him sitting, her standing, until the tip of the wand glowed, a definite blue.


	11. losing you

The wand clattered to the floor as Hermione dropped to her knees, head in hands. Ron rushed to kneel next to her beside her. He gripped her shoulders and gazed into her eyes. Even though the tears rolling down Hermione's cheeks made Ron hurt so badly inside, he smiled.

"Hermione, look at me. Listen. I know it's not what you wanted, and it's not a good time and all that, but…we're having a baby! I know it's hard, but think about how great it will be. I mean, look at Harry and Ginny. They're so happy, and you're fantastic with Lilly and James."

Hermione stared at him blankly, "What?"

"I think this will all be ok. We'll have a family," he said, smiling earnestly and reaching to wipe the tears from her cheeks. She stood up, away from his touch. He followed.

"No we won't Ron. I'm not keeping it."

"What? You have to keep it. You can't just destroy it. It's ours. It's _our_ baby. Yours _and_ mine," Ron said, deeply hurt.

"I can't believe your saying this. There is no way I'm keeping it. It might be _your_ sperm, growing inside my uterus, but it'll be _my_ life which gets spent having and looking after this baby, and _my_ job I'll lose when it comes," she shouted, waving her arms around to emphasise herself.

"What? No. It's not like that. I'll look after it. We will. Honestly. I'll do anything. Please Hermione. Just give it a chance. I want us to make a family together. Please. Just don't destroy it. It's wrong. You can't do that to a baby who…"

"It's not a baby yet, just a few cells, and it's not wrong to destroy it. We can't have a baby yet. For god's sake, Ron. It's not playtime anymore. We're not ready. We can't. It's my body, and I don't want it."

They stared at each other. Both felt like crying.

"Mya?"

"Yeah?"

"Just think about it. Please. I know it's a big deal, but it means so much to me. And I don't wanna lose you. Please Mya."

"I've got to go. I've got loads of work to do anyway. I'll think about it. I guess I'll see you at work tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I guess."

She turned to leave, but instead walked to him, and put her palm flat on the side of his face.

"I love you Ron. More than anything. But I don't love this thing inside me. But you're not gonna lose me over this. Anyway, we've got the same friends: I don't think you could lose me if you tried."

She kissed him on the lips, and within a minute, she was out of the door, hands in pockets, walking home.


	12. visitor

As she walked up the usually empty street towards her apartment block, she noticed someone standing outside the building. She walked with her head down, desperately hoping that it wasn't who she thought it was. When she realised she was standing right outside her building, she realised she had to look up. She breathed an enormous sigh of relief, to see the street deserted. She unlocked and opened the door.

"Hi, Mya."

She felt his long thin fingers on her waist, as she let him turn her around. She stared into his ice-blue eyes, gazing at her from his thin pale face, surrounded by platinum blonde hair. She opened her mouth (though she didn't know what she was going to say), but he put his finger to her lips.

"Don't say anything, Mya. I just want to talk to you. I've missed you. More than you know."

He kissed her tenderly. She felt like she was drowning in him. She could feel herself falling for him all over again. She didn't want him to stay, but she couldn't bear for him to leave.

"Can we just talk?"

_She knew she shouldn't..._

"Can I come up?"

_She knew it was wrong..._

"Please, Mya. Just to talk."

_She knew it could only end badly…_

She turned to go into the building, and held the door open so that Draco Malfoy could follow her.

_But she couldn't help herself…_


	13. the last night

She signalled to a chair, and he sat down. She perched on the edge of the sofa, as far from him as possible, knowing that any closer, and she might do something she knew she' regret.

"Can I get a cup of coffee or something?" Draco asked, shrugging his shoulders.

She glared at him.

"Alright, alright. No coffee!" he said, raising his hands defensively.

He stood up and when to sit on the sofa, next to Hermione. He moved his hand oh-so-softly onto her knee. She looked down at his hand, then up at him.

"Draco, I've got a lot of…stuff going on right now. What do you want?"

"Mya…I mean…I don't know what to say…I've missed you. Nothing's the same without you. It's been exactly one year, since that last night. December 21st."

Hermione remembered that night…_so_ well…

Everything had started three years before then. Having not seen Draco since he was acquitted from the trail of the Death Eaters, Hermione happened to bump into him at the Ministry. He was looking for a job, she was to be his main interviewer, and possibly, future boss. He was the only candidate, and over qualified. The board gave him the job unanimously.

When Ron and the others had found out, they were outraged on her behalf and sympathetic to her. But – and she felt almost guilty about this – she enjoyed having him work for her. He was fantastic at his job, always prompt with deadlines, and (like her) he often worked through the night at the Ministry, to get a report finished.

It was on one of these days, when both had been working in their neighbouring offices that it all began. He rapped firmly on her office door, an entered, wearing no tie, sleeves rolled up, carrying a bulging file.

"Hermione?"

"Oh, hi Draco," she yawned.

He laughed, "No time for sleep, we've got another long night ahead of us. I thought you'd be here. I was wondering if you could give me a hand on the Walker case."

"Yeah, sure," she said, walking over to sit on the chocolate brown leather sofa. The smoothness of the fabric made her skirt ride up, so that over half of her thigh was showing. Unaware of this, she offered Draco a seat beside her. He sat down, careful to leave a suitable gap between them.

"So, what's the problem?" she said, rubbing her hands together trying to wake herself up.

Forgetting himself, he leaned over to her, in order to let her get a better look at the file. In doing so their bare arms brushed together. The skin where they had momentarily touch began to tingle, for both of them. They looked at each other, embarrassed, and quickly withdrew. Realising he had to be nearer to her, for her to be able to see the file, he shuffled ever slightly closer.

As their conversations about work grew deeper and deeper, they move ever slightly closer to each other. Their thighs were now touching. Suddenly noticing this, Hermione looked up into his cool blue eyes and saw so much swimming beneath the surface.

He put his hands to the side of her face and pulled her towards him. He kissed her beautifully on the lips. She could honestly say that it was the most perfect kiss she had ever had. He removed his hands and pulled away. She stared blankly at him.

His heart sank. "God, I'm so sorry. I never should have…I don't know what came over me. I'll leave."

He stood up to leave, but Hermione grabbed his wrist. "Don't go."

He sat back down and gave her another one of those beautiful kisses. And another. And another. And another.

After that night, they would see each other as often an as secretly as possible. For two years, they would spend most work nights and weekends together, neither of them telling anyone. Draco because he had no one to tell, and Hermione because she could not bear to tell any of her friends that she had started dating and sleeping with the person they all hated most. For two years, they carried on like that, until Ginny happened to see them together in a café. She stood at the entrance of the café and watched as they chatted and laughed. She saw how Hermione kissed him goodbye when she left. She saw the way Draco longingly watched her leave. She saw the expression on Hermione's face when she saw her standing there.

"Ginny, I…"

"Don't Hermione," she said, holding up a pointed finger for silence. "You have to end whatever you've got going on with him. I'm serious. He may have been cleared of being a Death Eater, but you know the kind of things he's done. He's bad news Hermione. And it would kill Harry and Ron if they knew. They hate the fact that he works with you. I don't know what they'd do if they knew you were _together._"

And that was it. Ginny left, Hermione went back into the café and told him it was over. He had one request.

"One night, Mya. Please. Just one more night."

As usual, she couldn't resist. No words passed between them that night. it was what they both wanted. After that night, (December 21st) she didn't see him again for three years.


	14. at last

"I didn't realise how much I needed you. I just can't get over you Mya."

He leaned forward, and whispered, "I haven't had sex in a year. Seriously."

Hermione giggled. "Yes, you have, liar."

"No. honest."

He raised his hands above his head.

"So what do you want?" she asked, bringing back the serious side to the conversation.

"I want _you_, Hermione. I don't care any more. I miss you. _More than anything_."

And then his hands were moving up her thighs, up her back, over her breasts, up to her face. His hands rested on the side of her face as he leaned forward. The sides of their noses touched, as she felt the warmth of his breath tickle her cheek. It all happened in a number of seconds. And then he kissed her, and just as she managed to push him off, they both heard a set of keys fall to the floor. Their heads whipped round to see Ron standing by the coffee table.

"Oh, shit," muttered Hermione. It was like something from a movie.

Ron was staring at Draco, a confused look clouding his face.

"Who are y…Oh my god, Malfoy."

"Weasley," Draco said, kneading his forehead with his fingers.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me, Hermione."

Hermione stood, "Listen Ron, I can explain. I…"

Draco too stood up. Ron turned to leave. "No Hermione, you can't. This is just too bloody weird for me."

"No, Ron, don't go," she cried, running to grab his wrist.

"Stay," she whispered, "Please."

She loosened her grip and led him back to sit down on the sofa. They all sat down on separate chairs. Draco stared blankly.

"Um…ah…I reckon there's something I should say…" he started.

"Draco, don't…" Hermione warned.

"No, Mya. I'm going to tell him,"

"Don't _you_ call her Mya," threatened Ron.

"Oh, shut up, Weasley," spat Draco.

"You fucking twat," yelled Ron, starting out of his chair.

Hermione's sobs, made him stop.

"I'm sorry, Ron. I'm so sorry," she said, in between sobs. "It's not how it looks. I now it sounds ridiculous, but just listen."

They all returned to their seats.

"Three years ago, after I hired Draco, we started going out together."

"For how long?"

"Two years," she whispered.

"Great!" he said sarcastically. "How could you not tell me? Us?"

"Because I knew _this_ would happen. I know it was stupid, but I just couldn't bear to tell you. I was only even going out with him to…" she trailed off, staring into her lap.

"To what?" they asked simultaneously.

"To forget about you, Ron."

"What?" scoffed Draco, "That's a complete lie, otherwise you wouldn't have owled me last weekend. Sorry I couldn't get here sooner by the way, Mya."

"So you wanted _him_ to come to see you last week?" Ron was appalled and deeply hurt.

"No, Ron! How could I have owled him? I was with you. And do you think I'd be stupid enough to ask him to come to my apartment, when you were living here?"

"He's living here?" Draco was, once again, utterly confused.

"Shut up, you lying bastard. Get out of my house, creep."

"Oh fantastic!" The sarcasm appeared to be spreading. "The poor ginger loser and the annoying mudblood got together…"

Ron landed and incredibly swift, strong blow to the side of Draco's face.

"You filthy, slimy, lying, pathetic git." He gave another blow.

"You sleep with someone, she rejects you and you just insult her." Another blow.

"You haven't changed since school." Another blow.

After a few more punches – which Hermione was happy to watch without intervening – Malfoy managed to creep out of the apartment.

"Freaks," he muttered, closing the door behind him.

Ron turned to face Hermione.

"Ron, you have to believe me. I was pushing him away when you saw us. There was no owl. I haven't thought about him for ages. I know it's not believable, but it's true.

"I believe you."

"What?"

"I said, I believe you. I came after you soon after you soon after you left. I couldn't let you go like that. I saw how surprised you were when he came, and I saw _him_ kiss _you_. I always told you I could do the _videre vielicet_ charm."

They laughed.

Suddenly serious, Hermione said, "I'm keeping it, Ron. We're having a baby. We're having a baby."

No words were needed. Hermione and Ron were together, finally and forever…at last


End file.
